Middle College High School (MCHS) can get overwhelming at times, and many students rely on hobbies as a way to de-stress and clear their minds after a long day of classes and assignments. Whether it is baking, sewing, or other creative activities, these hobbies are meant to be an escape from academic stress.
However, that escape is starting to feel less accessible. With the rising cost of supplies and materials, even simple hobbies are becoming more expensive, making it harder for students to unwind without having to think about what they are spending.
Sophomore Tanya Hernandez states how sewing has become much more expensive over time, causing her to search for cheaper options when buying supplies.
“I used to go, like, all the way to LA to get my supplies, but it got too expensive, so I started going to Hobby Lobby because of the discounts,” Hernandez said.
Although Hernandez still enjoys sewing, she states the cost prevents her from doing as much as she would like.
“If money wasn’t an issue, I think I’d be doing way more and getting high quality,” Hernandez said. “I think that there should be student discounts.”
Before sewing, Hernandez mentioned she also enjoyed doing puzzles, but eventually stopped because buying new puzzles became too expensive.
“Before sewing, I also had a passion for doing puzzles. But every time you complete a puzzle, you need to go buy another one, so I stopped doing them,” Hernandez said. “So now I sew, but I’ve done it less and less, because of the prices.”
Hernandez believes social media trends may contribute to the rising prices of certain hobbies.
“If you go on TikTok, there are people who advertise your hobby,” Hernandez said. “Everyone’s suddenly interested, like, crocheting. I think, after it was really popular in 2020, everyone wanted to crochet, and I personally think that made prices go up.”
Sophomore Belina Fuentes mentions that baking has also become more expensive because of the increasing cost of ingredients.
“The ingredients cost much more. For example, eggs, butter, and milk cost a lot more, and those are essential for everything,” Fuentes said.
Due to the price increase, Fuentes now looks for cheaper options before purchasing baking supplies.
“I look for more affordable options before deciding which ones to purchase,” Fuentes said.
Fuentes also noticed the expense has affected how often she bakes for others.
“I used to bake a lot and bring stuff for my friends, but not anymore because of the expense,” Fuentes said.
Despite the rising cost, Fuentes states that baking still helps her manage stress during busy academic periods.
“I like to bake when I have a lot of things going on,” Fuentes said. “Whenever finals are coming up and stuff, I bake way more.”
However, Fuentes explains that even smaller purchases add up over time.
“I have to keep buying and buying, and even though it’s something affordable, in the long run, I’m wasting like $10 on butter,” Fuentes said.
Sophomore Valeria Garcia claims she has also noticed changes in the price of art and photography supplies.
“I don’t know how, but I think the paint tubes are getting smaller,” Garcia said.
Garcia observed that stores now sell more individual items instead of bundles, making hobbies more expensive overall.
“Every time I go buy something, it’s always singles. It’s never a bundle anymore,” Garcia said.
Garcia also mentions that photography equipment has increased in price as well.
“The SIM cards you enter into the camera so you can save the memory, now my regular one is like, $50 now,” Garcia said.
As academic stress continues to affect students at MCHS, hobbies remain an important way for students to relax and take their minds off school. However, many students say rising prices are making it harder to continue the activities they enjoy. What used to be a simple escape from school stress is now becoming another expense students have to think about, making it more difficult for students to fully enjoy the hobbies that once helped them unwind.
